One-piece tongueless buckle



B. F. PEASE, JR

ONE-PIECE TONGUELESS BUCKLE Nov. 7, 1950 Filed March 12, 1949 INVENTOR.BENJAMIN E PH$E,\7R.

Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ONE-PIECE TONGUELESSBUCKLE Benjamin F. Pease, J r., Grafton, Mass.

Application March 12, 1949, Serial No. 81,163

1 Claim.

approximates the appearance of a buckle havingthe usual tongue.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out inthe appended claim.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in whichFig. 1 is a partial perspective View of a belt having my improved buckleattached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the parts shown in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the one piece buckle; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a part of the buckle and of a springadapted for use therewith.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, my improved buckle II! is shown in use on abelt B having a reversely folded end portion 12 detachably secured infolded position by snap fasteners l4 and [5. A closed loop or rider I6is mounted on the belt B and is held from longitudinal displacement bythe fasteners I4 and I5, as shown in Fig. 2.

The opposite end portion of the belt B has the usual holes 22 to receivea stud or spur 24 which is fixed on a cross-piece 25 forming the closedend of the buckle I 0. The spur 24 projects from the inner edge of thecross-piece 25, as shown in Fig. 2, and a portion 2'! of the spur 24extends partially over the cross-piece 25 and simulates the end of theloose tongue found in the usual two-piece buckle.

At its opposite end, the buckle II] is provided with separated lugswhich extend toward each other and which are received in the end loop 32of the belt B. I

The buckle ID as described is entirely usuable when freely mounted inthe loop 32, but adjustment of the buckle is facilitated by providing aspring 3 (Fig. 4) having a loop portion 40 and having coiled endportions 4|. The extreme ends 42 of the end portions 4| are bentinwardly to.

enter slots 44 in the inner ends of the lugs 30. The tension of thespring S is such as to tend to swing the buckle l0 downward as indicatedby the arrow a in Fig. 4.

The two ends of a belt B, constructed as above 2 described, are veryeasily connectedby inserting the belt through the enclosed opening P ofthe buckle l0, and by allowing the spur 24 to slide along the beltportion 20 until it enters a selected hole 22. The end of the beltportion 20 may then be inserted under the loop or rider I6.

The spring S facilitates entrance of the spur 24 into the selected hole22 and also acts to resist displacement of the buckle. If it is desiredto loosen the belt, the buckle in may be swung upward to withdraw thespur 24 from the hole 22 in which it was inserted. The spur 24 will thenslide easily along the belt and the spring S will cause the spur toenter the next hole or opening 22.

Particular attention is called to the fact that the spur 24 issubstantially perpendicular to the plane of the belt end portion 20 asthe belt passes under the cross piece 25 and over the loop 32 at theadjacent end of the belt B. There is thus no tendency for the belt to becreased or otherwise damaged in appearance by any sharp bend around thecross piece 25. Such bending might occur if the spur 24 was at an acuteor wedging angle to the plane of the belt.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claim, but what I claim is:

A one-piece buckle comprising an open rectangular frame member having arelatively broad and flat end member, relatively narrow and elongatedintegral side members, spaced belt-engaging l-ugs mounted at the innerfaces of the free ends of said side members and directed toward eachother, a spur fixed at the inner edge of said end member and directedtransversely rearward of said frame member and in a line substantiallyperpendicular to the line of normal belt strain, and a buckle-tensioningspring having coiled ends mounted on and secured to saidinwardlydirected lugs and having a connecting and generally U-shapedloop engaging a belt portion and tensioning said spring to project saidspur into an aligned belt opening.

BENJAMIN F. PEASE, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

